I have asked several of my diversity and inclusion colleagues what they think about the North Korean’s response to the movie The Interview. Overwhelmingly they think we as Americans have the freedom and the right to produce such a movie if we so choose. I was listening to one of the news reports on television where a reporter asked an ordinary citizen what she thought about it. Her response was: “We are Americans, we can do whatever we want!” I wonder though, just because we can do what we want, does it mean that we always should?
It is probably no surprise that freedom, including freedom of speech, is the absolute most important value to the United States. We fought for it and continue to fight for it around the world to help those nations who do not enjoy the type of freedom that we do. We know that there is a hefty price to pay to sustain it for ourselves and to promote it for others. And we have the scars of many past wars and the open wounds of current wars to show for it.
I love my freedom and would not trade it for anything and I am certainly not condoning North Korea’s response to the movie.
Now let’s look at North Korea. We really don’t know much about this country except that from our perspective their form of government is controlling, repressive and the young Kim Jong-Un is a horrible dictator. The most basic human rights are violated. We know about the nuclear arms threats and we now know about their capability to attack us in cyberspace.
Why did this movie incite such anger on the part of the North Koreans? They do not “enjoy” freedom of speech. It is heresy to speak out against their leader. So tied to the Kim Il-Sung’s family dynasty, it is said that when someone asks them how they are doing, the answer is, “Because of Kim Jong Sung, I am doing well”. Their patriotic songs are about venerating North Korea’s founding father, Kim Il-Sung, and they wear “Sung” badges of loyalty on their lapels. They are taught to worship Kim Jong-Un, the son of Kim Jong-II. It is a class society, marked by the politically powerful (i.e. Kim Jong Sung family) and politically powerless. There is not much religious freedom.
Of course these practices are repulsive to us who so value our freedom. Now just for a moment let’s put ourselves in the shoes of a North Korean who sees the movie, The Interview. I have only seen the trailer but the one phrase that talks about assassinating Kim Jong-Un would be enough to incite a protest. They cannot fathom the audacity of anyone negatively portraying their leader, let alone threaten to assassinate him. We say, it is a comedy, just a joke, just entertainment. Not so from the mindset of a North Korean.
What we don’t get is that the worldview of a North Korean is so different from the worldview of an American on many topics, but especially our relationship to our government and our leaders. It is common for us as a right to criticize and poke fun at our leaders. We have the right to demonstrate and protest policies, laws and practices that we do not agree with. It is just the opposite in North Korea. They do not have and may not think that they deserve such rights.
So I ask again and would love to hear what you think, just because we can, should we make fun of other cultures? Or should we be more cautious and more cross culturally competent in understanding that even though we may not agree and it does not fit our value system, others may react very differently to our notions of freedom and humor? Now the US has declared more sanctions against North Korea and North Korea will likely respond. Where will it end? Is everything worth it because we are Americans and “we can do what we want”?
